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Broncos' Robert Ayers had hand in fateful play vs. Ravens in playoffs

Broncos defensive end Robert Ayers (91) reaches for a pass thrown by Baltimore Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco (5) during a divisional-round game in the playoffs Jan. 12 at Sports Authority Field at Mile High. The Broncos lost 38-35 in overtime. (Joe Amon, The Denver Post)

Q: With the recent attention on Robert Ayers, now that (Elvis) Dumervil is gone, could you help me with two conflicting assessments about Ayers' role in (Ravens quarterback Joe) Flacco's game-tying touchdown that knocked the Broncos out of the playoffs this past season? 1.) He almost saved the season by sacking Joe Flacco, but was a split second too late. He's a game changer the Broncos can count on in 2013. Or 2.) He left his assigned lane to try another route to give Flacco an open lane to take the extra steps forward he needed to complete a long touchdown pass. His grasp for glory was just as harmful to his team as was Rahim Moore's ill-conceived, and ill-timed, attempt at an interception. Which is correct and what does it say about the Broncos' chances of every player executing their assignment in 2013?

A: Bruce, it shows just how memorable/disappointing the play was for many folks given yours was just the first of many questions about it in the past couple weeks alone.

Flacco's 70-yard touchdown pass to Jacoby Jones to tie the divisional round playoff game at 35-35 came with 31 seconds remaining in regulation.

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When they lined up for the play, the Ravens were down by a touchdown. They faced a third-and-3 from their own 30-yard line with 44 seconds remaining in regulation. Baltimore was in a three-wide receiver set. Jones was lined up wide right, with tight end Dennis Pitta in the slot next to him.

Ravens wide receivers Torrey Smith and Anquan Boldin were to the left. The Broncos were in a seven-defensive back look that included four safeties — Rahim Moore, Mike Adams, David Bruton and Jim Leonhard.

The Broncos did rush three on the play — linebacker Von Miller, defensive end Dumervil and Ayers.

The formation had been successful all season. The Broncos had used it more and more as the season progressed, and opposing quarterbacks did have a difficult time with it. Ayers was lined up across from Ravens center Matt Birk, with Miller lined up at the defensive left end and Dumervil at the right defensive end.

Ayers, trying to escape the larger Birk, went right to a spin move as soon as he came out of his stance. Ayers spun to his left, the offensive right, putting himself in a gap between right guard Marshal Yanda and right tackle Michael Oher.

He made the move work, and knifed through, and at that point he was slightly to Flacco's right, but Ayers isn't too wide on the play. Dumervil, who beat left tackle Bryant McKinnie around the corner, ends up slightly deeper than Flacco is in the pocket, but he did force Flacco to step up.

As he stepped up, Flacco slid slightly to his left as well to avoid Ayers. Again, the Broncos had done largely what they are supposed to do in the rush up front to that point of the play. And while his angle to Flacco could have been slightly better, Ayers had essentially beaten three Ravens linemen on the play.

Miller, who briefly engaged with right tackle Oher at the snap, located Flacco as the quarterback started to step up and charged Flacco and was inches away from tipping the pass when Flacco let it go.

All in all, with a three-man rush, the Broncos forced the issue. They forced Flacco to throw slightly before he wanted to. And the pass is not a well thrown ball, but it was thrown with a lot of arm strength, with a big arc to allow Jones to make a play.

But the Broncos kept Flacco pinned on the inside with a three-man rush and didn't give him time to re-set to throw when he did step up — he largely did it in one motion because he has the arm to do it and Miller was quickly closing the distance.

Unlike most quarterbacks who look to throw the ball short when they are in trouble in the pocket, one of Flacco's traits is he looks to bail out deep. The Broncos had made mistakes in coverage to allow it to work.

Cornerback Tony Carter, lined up six yards off Jones at the snap, was supposed to jam Jones before the receiver got through the five-yard contact zone. If no receiver was in the flat — in the shorter area near the sideline, and there wasn't — Carter was supposed to follow Jones up the sideline after the jam. He did neither.

Safety Rahim Moore is then late to Jones on a poor angle and misplayed the ball. Jones, in a well-played coverage look, shouldn't have even been an option for Flacco on the play.

As far as Ayers is concerned, Broncos coach John Fox has always said he believes Ayers has more to give in his game. Defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio rode Ayers hard during last summer's training camp, and the team liked how Ayers responded.

They still see potential impact in the pass rush, and they've already added a cornerback in free agency — Dominique Rodgers Cromartie — and will be looking to add at least one more in the draft. So when they play that seven-defensive back look in '13, they won't be doing it with four safeties in the formation.

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